All fired up for Mallard move

As a unique post-Father’s Day treat Museum staff helped Simon Smith from Hertfordshire relive memories of his granddad who was the assigned driver for Mallard back in the late forties and early fifties. Alf Smith who was based at the Top Shed at Kings Cross, always drove with his nameplate 'A.E.SMITH' affixed to the side of the locomotive cab and was a celebrity of his day having met many famous people and been interviewed by the national media including BBC icon Richard Dimbleby.

The family recently rediscovered Alf’s nameplate and as a tribute to all those whose dads and granddads drove the mighty Mallard, Museum staff have arranged to carry the nameplate on the steam legend’s footplate as she travels up to her new temporary home on 23 June.

Simon took the opportunity to try the nameplate out for size along with his son Alex, who shares the initials A.E. Smith while the loco was being prepped in the Museum workshop ahead of the journey up North.

Simon said:

“Seeing grandad’s nameplate next to Mallard today brought a tear to my eye, knowing it will be soon travelling on the footplate. To the family it will be as if he was back ‘cabside’ himself, just as he was pictured by the Daily Mirror in his prime. If he was around today I’m sure he would want to see his favourite steam loco move down the mainline with Tornado, the first one to be built in 50 years and I can’t wait to see it myself this week.”

Simon was joined by former Mallard fireman Ken Willetts from Grantham who could talk firsthand about what it was like to fire the record breaker alongside a driver like Alf Smith.

On June 22nd to mark Mallard’s historic departure from the National Railway Museum in York to its sister site Locomotion in Shildon, Mallard will be displayed alongside the first steam locomotive to be built in Britain for 50 years, A1 Peppercorn Class No. 60163 Tornado, - a unique free event for thousands of rail fans. The next day Mallard will be hauled to her new home in the North East by the Darlington Works built Tornado, in front of crowds of enthusiasts burning the midnight oil to ‘go loco’ for the legendary blue record-breaker and the apple green whirlwind.

Steve Davies, NRM Director, said:

“We’re hoping in the run up to Mallard’s departure more people with a special connection to the locomotive like Simon will get in touch with their stories, but more importantly make their way to York to enjoy a free day out and the opportunity to see Mallard and Tornado get ready for their historic journey to Shildon.”

If your dad or granddad drove Mallard please send your stories to mallard@nrm.org.uk

For further information/images of Alf Smith/Mallard please contact:

Catherine Farrell, Senior Press Officer, NRM 
01904 686262
Catherine.farrell@nrm.org.uk

Louise McKenzie, Press Officer, NRM
01904 686281
louise.mckenzie@nrm.org.uk

Notes to Editors

• The National Railway Museum (NRM) in York covers over 300 years of railway history and its collections include over 100 locomotives , some 250 items of rolling stock and thousands of other objects - from posters and tickets to uniforms and silverware. Visitors can enjoy a fun family day out with the kids including an action-packed annual programme of special events and exhibitions. Admission to the museum is free. For more information visit www.nrm.org.uk.
• The National Railway Museum forms part of the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI), along with the Science Museum in London, the National Media Museum in Bradford and Locomotion – the National Railway Museum in Shildon.
• Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley (19 June 1876 – 5 April 1941)[1] was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers, who rose to become Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). He was the designer of some of the most famous steam locomotives in Britain, including the LNER Class A1 and LNER Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific engines. An A1, Flying Scotsman, was the first steam locomotive officially recorded at over 100mph in passenger service, and an A4, number 4468 Mallard, still holds the world speed record for steam traction on rail. The record was set on the 3rd July 1938 when the locomotive was recorded travelling at 126 mph.
• Mallard was restored to working order in the 1980s, but has not operated since, apart from hauling some specials between York and Scarborough in July 1986, a couple of runs between York and Harrogate/Leeds around Easter 1987 and a 50th anniversary run in 1988. Mallard is the only surviving A4 in LNER livery and in as-built original condition with side valances (although the valances are replicas).
• LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado- No. 60163 Tornado is a new build steam locomotive based on the LNER Peppercorn Class A1, all of which were scrapped by 1966. Tornado is the first steam locomotive to be built in the United Kingdom since the end of main line steam locomotive manufacture in 1960. The building of Tornado is being done by the Locomotive Construction Co Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, as none of the 49 original A1 Peppercorn class survived to be preserved. The A1 Trust is a charitable trust founded in 1990, for the purposes of building Tornado, and possibly further locomotives. The name Tornado was chosen in honour of the RAF Tornado crews that were flying at the time in the Gulf War.
• Mallard will be in the Museum’s workshop from Wednesday 9 June for approximately 2 weeks, where the NRM team will be making final preparations to ensure that she is ready for her big journey to Locomotion, the NRM in Shildon.  Mallard fans will get the exciting opportunity to step inside the workshop where special free tours will give them a unique experience of seeing Mallard up close while finding out all about the work involved in getting the famous locomotive ready for her trip on the mainline. For full details and tour times, please visit www.nrm.org.uk/mallard.
• To find out more about Mallard’s move to Shildon visit www.nrm.org.uk/mallard.